Computation of parameters of a body using an electric field
Inventors
Howie, Eric Carlin • Flowers, Mark Bradford • Rao, Tandhoni Srinivasa • Rule, III, Orville Rey • Damani, Darpan Dinesh • McIlroy, Guy • Haggis, John Robert • Langley, II, John Bertram • Fastert, Steven Sven • Ellersick, William Frederick • Birdsall, Dwight David
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12310709-B2
Publication Date
2025-05-27
Expiration Date
Abstract
In some embodiments, an electric field generator includes a differential oscillator that oscillates at a nominal frequency. The electric field generator is connected to a differential antenna that radiates an electric field. A differential detector measures a frequency of the generated electric field as the electric field interacts with a body (such as a human body) in a reactive near-field region of the electric field. For each of one or more internal components of the body, a computation unit determines a respective periodic behavior in the measured frequency indicative of movement of the internal component. The computation unit also computes, for each of the one or more internal components of the body, a respective rate of movement (such as a heart rate or a respiration rate) of the internal component according to the respective periodic behavior in the measured frequency.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a near-field electric-field based body parameter computing system that uses an electric field generator comprising a differential oscillator configured to oscillate at a nominal frequency and connected to a differential antenna configured to radiate an electric field. A differential detector measures a frequency of the generated electric field as it interacts with a body in a reactive near-field region, and the measured frequency is used as an input for determining periodic behavior indicative of movement of internal components.
A computation unit determines, for each of one or more internal components of the body, a respective periodic behavior in the measured frequency indicative of movement of the internal component. The computation unit then computes, for each internal component, a respective rate of the movement of the internal component according to the respective periodic behavior in the measured frequency.
The disclosure further supports excluding measured frequency portions associated with non-periodic behavior, and optionally determining non-periodic behavior from measured field amplitude. It also includes system architecture in which a computation unit is split between a first portion co-located with a differential detector and a second remotely located portion connected via a network.
Claims Coverage
The patent includes two independent claims, a system claim and a method claim, that share a common inventive concept: differential oscillator and differential antenna electric-field generation, differential frequency measurement in a reactive near-field region, periodic-behavior determination for internal body components, and computation of respective movement rates. Four core inventive features are present across the independent claims, with dependent claims further specifying internal components, exclusions, and implementation details.
Differential electric-field generation and reactive near-field frequency measurement
An electric field generator comprising a differential oscillator oscillating at a nominal frequency and connected to a differential antenna radiates an electric field, and a differential detector measures a frequency of the generated electric field as it interacts with a body in a reactive near-field region.
Periodic behavior determination per internal component
A computation unit determines, for each of one or more internal components of the body, a respective periodic behavior in the measured frequency indicative of movement of the internal component.
Movement-rate computation per internal component from periodic behavior
The computation unit computes, for each of the one or more internal components of the body, a respective rate of the movement of the internal component according to the respective periodic behavior in the measured frequency.
Co-located and remote computation split for periodic behavior and movement rates
The computation unit is split between a first portion co-located with the differential detector and a second remotely located portion connected via a network, with the first portion determining periodic behavior and the second portion computing respective rates of movement.
Nighttime resting heart rate excluding non-periodic measured frequency portions
The computation unit computes a nighttime resting heart rate while excluding measured frequency portions associated with non-periodic behavior.
Measuring without measuring a reflection of the generated electric field
Measuring the frequency of a generated electric field is performed without measuring a reflection of the generated electric field.
Across the independent claims, the key coverage is the combination of differential oscillator and differential antenna electric-field generation with differential near-field frequency measurement, followed by computation of periodic behavior and movement rates for each internal component of the body. Dependent claims further narrow the subject matter by excluding non-periodic measured frequency portions, splitting computation between co-located and remote portions via a network, and excluding reflection-based frequency measurement.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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